Wire drawing machine and method



'Dec. 28, 1943. F. w. GAINES, 30 2,337,881

WIRE DRAWING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Sept. 16, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 h QQ INVENTOR.

I. ATTORNEY! Dec. 28, 1943. w s, 3 2,337,881

WIRE DRAWING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Sept. 16, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 H ll INVEOR. D BY flan e/c1 I44 fin/n ss in.

MFA/WWW ATTORNEY5 Dec. 28, 1943.

F. w. GAIN-ES. 3D 2,337,881

WIRE DRAWING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Sept. 16, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 28, 1943. F WGAINEg 39 2,337,881

WI R E DRAWING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Sept. 16, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 28, 1943 3;. PATENT OFFICE WIRE DRAWING MACHINE AND METHOD Frederick W. Gaines, 3rd, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Ajax Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 16, 1941, Serial No. 411,026

18 Claims.

an improved wire drawing machine of this type which will feed the stock to the header, thus eliminating the feed rolls heretofore used between the drawer and the header.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved wire drawing machine of this type which in feeding the stock to the header will hold the stock against a gauge during the cut-off operation so that the blanks obtained from the stock can be cut more accurately as to length.

Still another object is to provide a novel method and apparatus for drawing wire stock in which a reciprocable drawing die and stockgripping means are made to travel in the same direction but at different speeds so as to intermittently approach each other and cause intermittent relative movement of the stock through the die.

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel steps of procedure, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, with portions broken away, showing my improved wire drawing 'machine being used in connection with a cold header;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the drawing machine substantially as indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the various parts in their positions corresponding with the drawing stroke;

Fig. 3 is a similar longitudinal sectional viewv taken through the drawing machine on line 33 of Fig. i and showing the various parts in their positions corresponding with the feeding stroke;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, with parts in section, showing another form of my wire drawing machine and showing the same being used in connection with a cold header;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the drawing machine showing the same on a somewhat larger scale;

Fig. 6 is a partial transverse sectional view taken on line |S of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken as indicated by line of Fig. 6.

The wire drawing machines illustrated in the drawings will now be described in greater detail, but it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to these particular machines, but may be embodied in various other wire drawing machines of this general type.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I show my improved wir'e drawer |0 being used in connection with a fabricating machine such as the cold header H which may be used to produce blanks for making screws, bolts, and the like. The wire stock S may be withdrawn from a suitably supported coil by the drawing machine Ill and after the drawing operation may be fed by th s machine to the cut-off dies, l2 and I3 of the header. In feeding the stock S to the header, the leading end of the stock is held against a stock gauge l4 during the cut-off operation'so that the blanks obtained from the stock can be cut more accurately as to length. The header may embody suitable forming dies such as the hollow die and reciprocal punch l5 and I6 for operating on the blanks severed from the leading end of the stock S.

As shown in the drawings, the machine "I is provided with a frame l8 having a longitudinally extending guideway l9 therein. A die slide 20 and a feed slide 2| are reciprocably movable in the guldeway l9 and 'are arranged in adjacently aligned relation to each other. The die slide 20 carries a drawing die 22 through which the stock extends and which draws or sizes the stock as the die is pushed thereover. The die slide may also be provided with a chamber or pocket 23 in front of the die 22 and which is adapted to contain a quantity of drawing compound. The front wall 24 of the pocket of the die slide may have a bushing 25 therein throughawhich the stock extends to the drawing die22. A suitable cover 26 may be provided for closing the chamber or pocket 23.

The feed slide 2| carries a stock grippingdevice 21 which may be of any suitable type or construction and may include a pair of gripping elements or blocks 21a arranged to grip the stock S and feed the same toward the header II when the feed slide is shifted toward the left, as seen in the drawings. These gripping blocks are arranged so that when the feed slide 2| is shifted a t v freely therethrough while the stock is travelingtoward the header II, that is, to the left, .but which will grip the stock and firmly hold the same against backward movement during the working or drawing stroke of the die slide or whenever there is a tendency for the stock to be shifted toward the right.

For actuating the dieslide and the feed slide 2| I provide a swinging lever which is mounted on a shaft or fulcrum pin 3| extending transversely of the frame I8. At its upper end the lever 30 may be provided with laterally spaced rounded portions or heads 32 which extendinto openings of the feed slide 2|. and areengageable I with or bear against thrust surface s 32a and the cut-off operation and, to permit the accomplishment of this, I provide for a limited amount of overtravel in the actuating means for the feed slide 2|. This feature, which provides for accuracy in the cut-off operation and is considered to be important, will now be explained. In the arrangement here illustrated, I show the lever 30 as having an arm portion 30a depending below the fulcrum pin 3| and extending into a recessed or forked portion of a lever 36 which has its upper end fulcrumed on the pin 3|. The lower end of the arm 30a is yieldably connected with the lever 36 by a bolt 31 extending therethrough and carrying a compression spring 38. A power- 32b provided thereon. As willbereadily seen from the drawings, swinging of the lever 30 about its fulcrum pin 3| in a direction to shift the heads 32 toward the right will cause .areturn stroke of the feed slide 2| and a working or drawing stroke of the die slide 20. Since the stock S is held against backward movement at this time by the gripping device 28, the drawing die 22 will be pushed along the stock. During this shifting of the die slide and the feed slide toward the right by the lever 36, thegripping device 21 is ineffective and moves idly along the stock. When the lever 30 is rocked in is, in a direction to swing theheads 32 toward the left, the gripping device 21 will grip the stock and the movement of the feed slide 2| toward theleft will cause the stock S to befed into the header II, and at this time the stock moves idly I This same, 3|! toward the left also through the gripping device 28. movement of the lever I causes the return stroke of the die slide 20.

The die slide 20 andthe feed slide 2| are preferably constructed as sections of a compound slide and are arranged so that sufllcient relative movement can take place between these sections the opposite direction, that actuated reciprocable rod or link 39 connected with the lower end of the lever 36 applies thrust thereto to cause swinging of the lever 30 on its pivot pin 3|.

The arm 30a and the lever 36 are provided respectively with contact surfaces 301) and 36a which are normally urged toward engagement with each other by the compression spring 38 to enable the gripping device 21 to grip the stock for a feeding operation and to release the stock I s the beginning of the drawing operation. The provided with thrust surfaces 260 adapted to be engaged bythrust projections 2m of the feed slide at the beginning of the drawing operationso that the die slide can be at die slide may be actuated by thrust transmitted from the feed slide 2|. ment requiredby the slides for rendering the gripping device 21 effective and ineffective is represented by the space 33 intervening between the thrust surfaces 26a and the thrust projections 2|a. The return stroke of the die slide 26 can be produced by the pull transmitted from the'gripping device 21 ef the feed slide through the stock to the drawing die 22, but, if this is done, excessive pounding is likely to occur between the feed slide and the die slide as soon as the coil of stock is used up and the end of the stock passes through the drawing die. To avoid such pounding. I provide tie rods 34 having threaded connection with the die slide 20 and extending through openings of the feed slide 2|. Stopnuts 34a applied to these rods outwardly of the feed slide limit the relative separating movement between the two slides, and the adjustment of the nuts on the rods determines the width of the intervening clearance space 33, which, need be only sufficient to afford the feed slide 2| enough relative movement to render the gripping device 21 thereof effective.

As mentioned above, the stock S is fed to the cold header so that the leading end of the stock will be held against the gauge |4 during The above-mentioned relative movevided on the slide 4| and acts on surrounding the bolt 31. When the leading end of the stock S engages the stock gauge I4, the

spring will yield and permit overtravel, that is, relative swinging of the lever 36 on the pin 3|. The spring 38 is of a strength such that it will yield to permit such overtravel before bending of the stock will occur. The flexing of this spring during the feeding'stroke causes the stock to be held firmly against the gauge l4 during the cutoff operation. Fig. 3 shows the various parts of the machine in the relative positions which they have at or near the completion of the feed stroke. At this time the leading end of the stock has engaged the stock gauge 14 and the lever 33 has been swung away from the arm 3011 a distance represented by the space between the contact surfaces 30b and 36a. Fig. 2 shows the machine with the various parts thereof in their positions corresponding with the drawing stroke, and at this time the lever 3|] is being pulled toward the arm 30a and the contact portion 36a is solidly in engagement with the contact portion 3017. During the drawing stroke the lever 36 is, in effect, an integral part of the arm 30a and serves to transmit heavy-duty thrust to the lever 30 as is needed for the drawing operation.

When a coil of stock has been used up, it is necessary to start the leading end of a new coil through the drawing die 22 and the gripping devices 21 and 28. For this purpose I provide inch ing mechanism which cooperates with the die slide 20 in causing progressive or intermittent relative movement of the new length of stock through the drawing die. This mechanism comprises a slide 4| which is reciprocable in the guideway I9 and carries a pair of grooved coopcrating stock-gripping fingers 42 and 43. The fingers 42 and 43 are pivoted on the slide 4| above and below the plane of the stock S and are connected with each other by the gear sectors 42a and 43a. A spring-pressed plunger 44 is prothe finger 42 so as to cause rocking of the, fingers in a direction to grip the stock. The finger 42 may have a handie 45 by which the fingers can be manually rocked in a direction to oppose the plunger 44 and release their gripping engagement with the stock. A latch pin 46 may be shifted transversely of the slide alter swinging of the handle 45 to retain the fingers 42 and 43 in their released position. i

The inching slide 4| may be connected with the lever 30 by means of a link 41 which has one end thereof connected with the inchingslide by the pivot pin 48 and has its other end connected with the lever 30 by means of a pivot pin '39 which is located closer to the axis of the pivot pin 31 than are the heads 32 which engage the feed slide 2|. Thus the lever arm which actuates the die slide 20 is relatively longer than the lever arm which actuates the inching slide ti, and this will result in a longer stroke and faster lineal movement for the die slide than for the inching slide during the same time interval and swinging movement of the lever 30. This will cause the die slide to intermittently approach the inching slide and will result in the drawing die 22 being pushed over the stock S for distance corresponding with the relative movement produced between the die slide and the inching slide. It will thus be seen that when the lever 30 swings towards the right, the die slide and the inching slide will both be shifted in the same direction during the same in-. terval or time but the die slide will move through a long stroke and will approach the inching slide to thereby push the drawing die over the stock. During this inching stroke the stock is permitted to move in a backward direction with the inching slide ll but cannot move through or out of the inching slide because any tendency for the stock to move backward relative to the inching slide will cause the gripping fingers 42, 63 to tighten against the stock. When the lever 30 is swung toward the left, the drawing slide and inching slide will both move in a corresponding direction, but again the drawing slide will be moved through a longer stroke than the inching slide and will move away from the latter, as indicated in Fig. 3,

and the drawing die will pull the stock S a corresponding distance through. the gripping fingers 42 and 43. When the lever 30 is again swung toward the right, another inching stroke will take place and after a repeated number of such inching strokes, the leading end of the stock will pass through the gripping device 28, whereupon the inching operation can be discontinued.

A reciprocable straightening device 50 may be connected with the die slide 20 by means of push rods so that the straightening device will be intermittently pushed over the stock as the successive drawing strokes take place. The straightening device 50 may include a bushing 52 having a tapered opening through which the stock extends.

In Figs. 4 to '7 inclusive I show another form of my drawing machine in which the drawing and feeding mechanisms are embodied in a combined machine 55 located in advance of a cold header 56; The header 56 may be similar to the header H above referred to, and may include a stock gauge 51 and cooperating cut-oif dies 58 and 59. The combined drawing and feeding machine 55 comprises a feeding unit 60, which will be presently described, and a unit 6| which is in all respects similar to the wire drawing apparatus illustrated and described in Patent No, 2,226,400 granted December 24, 1940.

Since the construction and operation of 'the drawing unit 6| are described in detail in said patent, it is only necessary at this time to refer briefly to the various parts of this unit. These various parts include a drawing slide 62 which carries a drawing die 63 and is actuated by a swinging lever 64. The unit also includes a drawing grip 65 which prevents backward movement of the stock while the die 63 is being pushed thereover during the drawing stroke. The inching mechanism for starting a new length of stock through the drawing die includes an inching grip device 66, and an inching feed device 61.

The inching feed device 61 can be reciprocated when desired to intermittently advance the stock, 5 by connecting this device with the lever 64 by means of a link 68. The inching grip device 66 holds the stock against backward movement during the successive inching strokes imparted to the slide 62. The link 68 can be lifted to disengage the same from the pin 69 of the lever 64 when the inching operation has been completed.

The feeding unit 60 comprises a frame 60a which may be connected to the unit 6| and a feed slide which is reciprocable in the frame 60a. The slide 10 carries a gripping device H having cooperating blocks Ila stock S when the slide 10 is shifted toward the right. During movement of the slide 10 toward the left, the blocks Ha release the stock and move idly therealong.

The feed slide 10 may be actuated in timed relation to the die slide 62 by utilizing movement transmitted from the swinging lever 64. For this purpose I provide a pair of laterally spaced levers F2 for actuating the feed slide 10 and which are yieldably connected with the lever 64 by the link or rod 13. The lower ends of the levers 12 may be hinged to the frame 6011 by the pin 74 and their upper ends may be connected to the 0 feed slide 10 by means of blocks 15 which are mounted on trunnions 16 of the feed slide and are slidable in the recesses 11 of the levers. The levers 12 may be provided at an intermediate point with a thrust bar 18 through which the link or rod 13 extends. The bar 18 may have trunnions 19 at its ends which are rockable in openings of the levers H. A compression spring 81) surrounding the rod 13 between the bar 18 and the stop nut 81 normally acts to take up wall lost motion between the rod 13 and the' levers 72.

When the lever 64 is swung toward the right at the completion of a drawing stroke, the levers 12 are swung in the same direction to advance the feed slide 10 and cause the leading end of the stock S to abut against the stock gauge 51 at or near the end of the stroke of the feed slide. When the stock engages the stock gauge 51, the slide ill stops, but the rod 13 is permitted a limited amount of overtravel by sliding through the thrust bar 18 and compressing the spring 80. The compression of the spring 80 causes the stock to be held firmly, but without bending, against the gauge 51 for the cut-off operation. On the succeeding drawing stroke the lever 64 swings toward the left and the lost motion between the rod 13 and the thrust bar I8 is taken up, whereupon the levers 12 are also swung toward the left to cause an idle or return stroke of the feed slide 10.

From the foregoing description and the accom panying drawings it will now be readily understood that I have provided wire drawing and feeding apparatus of an improved and simplified construction for use with a fabricating machine such as a cold header. It will also be understood that although I have illustrated and described my improved apparatus and method in a more or less detailed manner, I do not wish to be limited to the specific machines and embodiments herein disclosed, but regard my invention as including such changes and modifications as do not constitute a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. 5 Having thus described my invention, I claim:

which grip the g which the stock passes,

- mit over-travel for,

tion on the stock,; a stock gripping 1. In apparatus of the character described, a stock gauge, a'reciprocable drawing dievthrough a reciprocable feeding device adapted to grip the stock and feed the same against said gauge, and actuating means for causing timed operation of said die and said feeding deviceincluding meansyieldable topergauge. i 2, In combination with a fabricating machine 7 having a stock gauge and a, cut-'ofi device, a reciprocableslide means, a drawing die on said slide means adapted to perform a drawing operation on the'stock during movement of the slide 4 means away from said gauge, a stock gripping means on said slide means adapted to grip and holding the stock against said.

slide and adapted to advance the stock toward said gauge during movement of the slide in the advance the stockrduring movement of the slide s meanstoward said gauge, and slide actuating means embodying a spring arranged to permit overtravel and to be stressed during the feeding stroke for holding the stock against said gauge duringcactuation of said cut-off device.

3. Inapparatus of the character described, a frame, slide means reciprocable in said frame, a stock gauge, a drawing die carried by said slide means and adapted toproduce a drawing operadevice on said slide means and adapted'to advance the stock toward said gauge during a feeding stroke of 7 said slide means, and actuatingmeans for said slide means including means which is yieldable permit overtravel during the feeding stroke to for holding the stock against said gauge.

opposite direction, and actuating means for said slide comprising a lever having cooperating parts forming asubstantially rigid drive for the slide during the drawing for the slide during the feeding stroke, sald yieldable drive being adapted to permit overtravel for holding the stock against said gauge.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a stock gauge, reciprocably movable slide means, a die adapted to produce a drawing operation on the stock during movement of the slide means in one direction, a stock gripping means adapted to advance the stock toward said gauge during movement of the slide means in the opposite direction, a slide actuating member having a part 7 adapted to permit overtravel during the feed stroke for holding the stock against said gauge.

'- 9. In apparatus of the character described, a

I stock.gaugareciprocably movable slide means, a

4. In apparatus or the character described, a

stock gauge, a drawing die through which the stock passes, a. reciprocable slide carrying said die, a feed slide having stock gripping means thereonand being movable to feed the stock to":-

rvard said gauge, and actuating means for the slides including means which is yieldable during the feeding stroke to permit overtravel for holding the stock against said gauge.

5; In apparatus of the character described, a

stock gauge, reciprocably movable slide means, a die on the slide means adapted to produce a drawing operation on the stock during movement of the slide means in one direction, a stock gripping means on said slide means adapted to advance the stock toward said gauge during movement of the slide means in the opposite direction, and a drive for'said slide means comprising cooperating members forming a substantially rigid drive during the drawing stroke and a yieldable drive during the ieedstroke, said yieldable drive being adapted to permit overtravel for holding the stock against said gauge.

6. In apparatus or the character described, a stock gauge, a drawing die through which the stock passes, a reciprocable slide carrying said die, a feed sli'dehaving stock gripping means thereon. and bein'gmovable to advance the stock toward said gauge, and actuating means for the slides comprising cooperating members providing a substantially rigid drive during the'drawsing stroke of the die slide and a yieldable drive during the feeding stroke of the feed slide, said yieldable drive being adapted to permit overtravel for holding the stock against said gauge. 7

'7. In apparatus of the character described, a stock gauge, a reciprocably movable sectional slide, a drawing die carried' by one section of said stock gripping means on the other section of the dieadapted to produce a drawing operation on the stock during movement ofthe slide means in one direction, a stock gripping means adapted to advance the stock toward said gauge during movemeans in the opposite direcment or the slide lever engaging said slide and tion. an actuating having a rigid arm portion and a relatively mov, V able arm'portion engageable with said rigid arm frame, a reciprocable die slide,

portion,

power means connected with the relatively movable arm portion,and a spring urging said movable arm portion toward engagement with said rigid arm portion, said arm portions being arranged so that the movable arm portion acts against said rigid arm portion during the drawing stroke Of said slide means and acts against said spring during the feed stroke.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a stock gauge, reciprocably movable slidemeans, a die adapted to produce a drawing operation on the stock during movement of the slide mean in one direction, a stock gripping means adapted to advance the stock toward said gauge during movement of the slide rection, an actuating lever engaging said slide and having a rigid arm portion and a relatively movable arm portion engageable'with said rigid arm portion, power means connected with the relatively movable arm portion, and a' pring urging said movable arm portion toward engagemerit with said rigid arm portion, said arm portions being arranged so that the movable arm portion-acts against said rigidarm portion during the drawing stroke of said slide means and acts against said spring during the feed stroke and said spring being of a strength to yield and permit overtravel of said power means upon engagement of said stock with said gauge.

11. In apparatus of the character described, a V a die on said die slide adapted to operate on wire stock, a stock gauge, a reciprocable feed slide having tock grip.- pingmeans arranged thereon for feeding the stock toward said gauge; means for reciprocating said die slide, a gripping device on said frame adapted to hold the stock against backward stroke and a yieldable drive means in the opposite dimovement during the drawing stock of said die, and an operating connection for reciprocating said feed slide, said operating connection being yieldable to permit overtravel for holding the stock against said gauge.

12. In apparatus 01' the character described, a frame, a reciprocable die slide, a drawing die on said die slide adapted to operate on wire stock, a stock gauge, a reciprocable feed slide having stock gripping mean arranged thereon for feeding the stock toward said gauge, means for reciprocating said die slide, and an operating connection for reciprocating said feed slide, said operating connection being yieldable during the feed stroke of said feed slide to permit overtravel for holding the stock against said gaugeand substantially rigid during the return stroke of the feed slide, said die slide and said feed slide being movable on said frame in a common plane go over the stock.

which also includes said drawing die and said stock gauge.

13. In wire drawing apparatus, a frame having a pair of slides reciprocably movable thereon, a

drawing die on one slide and a stock gripping g 25 permitting the stock to move backwardly wtih means on the other slide, a lever connected with the drawing slide at a point spaced from the lever fulcrum, means for actuating said lever, and a link connecting said lever with the other slide, the point of connection of the link with said lever being relatively closer to said fulcrum than the point of connection of the lever with a the drawing slide such that the drawing slide.

will have a longer stroke than said other slide and will approach and recede from the latter during the working of the slides thus causing the die to be intermittently pushed over the stock while the stock i held by said gripping means.

14. The method of drawing wire which comprises reciprocatinga drawing die and a stock gripping device so that they both have the same direction of travel but so that the die has a longer stroke than the gripping device and alternately 40 actuated thereby.

approaches and recedes from the gripping device to cause the die to be pushed over the stock while the stock is being held by the gripping device.

15. The method of drawing wire which com- 5 prises reciprocating a drawing die and a stock 10 the gripping device during such reciprocation to caus the die to be pushed over the stock while the stock is being held by the gripping device.

16. The method of starting wire stock through a drawing die which comprises reciprocating the 15 drawing die and a stock gripping device so that they both travel in the same direction during the same time interval but imparting a relatively longer stroke to the drawing die during said time interval and thus intermittently pushing the die 17. The method of drawing wire which comprises reciprocating a drawing die and a stock gripping device sothat they both travel in the same direction during the same time interval,

the gripping device and imparting a longer stroke to the drawing die than to the gripping device and thu causing the die to be pushed over the stock.

18. In apparatus of the character described, a frame, a feed slide reciprocable on said frame andhaving stock gripping means arranged thereon to cause forward feeding of the stock, a stock gripping means on said frame for preventing 5 backward movement of the stock, a die slide reciprocable on said frame and carrying a drawing die adapted to operate on the stock, and means for actuating said feed slide, saiddie slide having floating connection with the Eed slide and being FREDERICK w. emasaf" 

